What it’ll be like to buy medical marijuana in D.C.

Capital City Care says only qualified patients — those with cards from the D.C. Department of Health saying they they suffer from HIV/AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, and severe muscle spasm conditions like multiple sclerosis — will be allowed to purchase the pot.

Guard says patients will be required to show identification to security guards. At the reception desk, their ID gets checked against a database that the Department of Health will provide.

“They’ll be able to select from between six and eight different strains that our cultivation experts selected specifically for the medicinal properties,” says Guard.

Guard says the marijuana will not be consumed on premises, by D.C. law.

“Patients or their caregivers have to return immediately home with the medicine, and consume it only at their home or a medical facility that allows such things,” says Guard.

Patients will be allowed to purchase up to two ounces of marijuana per month, at their doctors’ recommendations, says Guard.

The marijuana will broken down into portions between an eighth-ounce and an ounce. Pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes will also be on sale.

Marijuana remains illegal in the District of Columbia for people without prescriptions, but Guard says dispensary neighbors shouldn’t be overly concerned about break-ins to steal the marijuana, which will be kept in safes.

Guard says studies shows crime rates go down in neighborhoods which house medical marijuana facilities because of increased security.

“Folks just don’t really want to be committing crimes in front of secure area with lots of cameras,” says Guard.